Jaxon Smith-Njigba is preparing for the biggest games of his young NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks, but he is not the only professional athlete in his family. His older brother, Canaan Smith‑Njigba, has spent years grinding through Major League Baseball organizations after debuting with the Pittsburgh Pirates and later joining the Chicago White Sox system.
Now the brothers’ paths have crossed again in Seattle, setting up a rare two-sport family pairing in the same city and giving Jaxon the chance to watch Canaan’s journey up close after years of following it from afar.
Are Jaxon Smith-Njigba And Canaan Smith-Njigba Brothers?
Jaxon and Canaan Smith‑Njigba are brothers who have been linked by sports since their days growing up in Texas. Older brother Canaan first broke through at the professional level in baseball before Jaxon emerged as a star wide receiver at Ohio State and then with the Seahawks.
Jaxon went on to be the 2019 Texas 6A State Player of the Year in football and is now a wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks after an accomplished career at Ohio State.
Their relationship has been a recurring theme in coverage of both brothers. Jaxon was elated when Canaan made his MLB debut for the Pirates in June 2022, doubling in his first career at‑bat. Jaxon called that moment “a dream come true” and described how they had talked about it since childhood.
As Jaxon put it at the time, “That’s something we’ve talked about all our lives and for that to happen, it was like a movie. I can’t even explain it. But it just seems right.” He said watching Canaan succeed “makes me proud” and “makes me want to get where he’s at and just grow,” underscoring how his brother’s path has been both inspiration and motivation.
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That dynamic has continued as Jaxon’s own profile has risen. Canaan was the first in the family to earn “marquee billing” as a pro after being drafted by the Yankees and later reaching the majors with Pittsburgh, while Jaxon followed with a record‑setting run at Ohio State and a first‑round selection by Seattle.
Canaan Smith-Njigba’s MLB Career & Move To Seattle
Canaan’s professional journey began when the New York Yankees selected him in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Rockwall‑Heath High School in Texas. Per MLB stats, he drew 57 walks in 43 games as a senior, one of the highest prep totals in the country at the time, and initially entered pro ball as an outfielder after starting his high school career as a catcher.
He moved through the Yankees’ system and was later traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in January 2021 as part of the package for pitcher Jameson Taillon.
With the Pirates, Canaan continued to build his resume in the minors, including a standout 2019 season at Low‑A Charleston in the Yankees’ organization that earned him multiple All‑Star and organizational honors, and a productive 2023 campaign at Triple‑A Indianapolis in which he hit .280 with 28 doubles, 15 homers, 74 RBI, and 21 stolen bases over 105 games.
MLB.com records that he made his Major League debut on June 14, 2022, doubling in his first plate appearance for Pittsburgh and later serving as an Opening Day starter in right field in 2023. Overall, his MLB stat line from his early stints shows 37 at‑bats, 5 hits, and 5 RBI.
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After time with the Pirates and their Triple‑A affiliate, Canaan’s rights briefly passed through the Mariners via a waiver claim in February 2024 before he returned to the Pirates and then signed a minor‑league deal with the Chicago White Sox later that year. In 2024, Jaxon highlighted how meaningful that overlap was to the family.
“It’s going to be a dream come true,” Jaxon said. “We wanted to play in the same city, bring our light to the city and do amazing things on and off the field. Just being together, we always thought that was the best thing, we didn’t know it was going to happen so quickly. It’s just awesome how God works.”
Jaxon also described how their roles have flipped at times, with Canaan attending Seahawks games and now Jaxon eager to return the support. “I just love watching him play,” Jaxon said.
He added, “It’s one of my favorite things in the world to do. I haven’t gotten the chance to really watch him because he’s always so far and now that he’s right down the street, it’s just perfect.”
That combination of official MLB records and team and college reporting shows Canaan as a well‑traveled outfielder whose career has intersected with his brother’s in Seattle, giving the Smith‑Njigba family a rare two‑sport footprint in one NFL city.
